Monday, March 7, 2011

Jana DeLeon Takes Us Into the Spooky Bayou!

interview with Suz

Fellow Bandits and Bandit friends please help me welcome my dear friend Jana DeLeon to the Lair! Jana is a multi-published author who has her first book with Harlequin Intrigue, THE SECRET OF CYPRIERE BAYOU, coming out on March 8th. Jana, pull up a chair and we’ll get the cabana boys to bring you your favorite drink. (Isn't this a great picture of Jana and her dog Bogey reading together?)

Suz: Congratulations, Jana. THE SECRET OF CYPRIERE BAYOU received a 4 1/2 start TOP PICK review from Romantic Times magazine! Can you give us a glimpse into THE SECRET OF CYPRIERE BAYOU?

Jana: I would call the book a "gothic lite." It's a bit of a ghost story set deep in the Louisiana swamps.

Suz: Your heroine, Olivia Markham is a horror writer, but she has a very unique way of researching her books, doesn’t she?

Jana: Olivia rents reputed haunted houses to stay in while writing her books. She says the location provides the ambience for creating a good horror novel.

Suz: Okay, that's like way too much realistic research for this author! Your hero, John Landry, isn’t quite the caretaker he is supposed to be, is he?

Jana: John in an undercover cop with his own agenda, and Olivia is not part of it. In fact, she's in the way. But he has good reasons for wanting her to leave the house even though he ultimately becomes her champion and protector.

Suz: And he's all secretive, yet sexy, too! One of the best parts of your book is how you made the setting a character in this book. How did you make the bayou feel so alive?

Jana: By writing what I know. I grew up in the bayous of Louisiana. I know the appearance, the weather and the peculiarities of small-town bayou inhabitants well. It's easy to write something so familiar.

Suz: Setting often has big impact on a story. The mansion where the book takes place is La Malediction? What significance does this have to the plot?

Jana: The name laMalediction means "The Curse." Legend has it that the house and all its future inhabitants were cursed by the original owner, who went insane and murdered his wife. The house is isolated deep in the swamp with a single, muddy path connecting it to the closest town. A big rainstorm can leave people stranded at the mansion without power.

Suz: While this is your first novel for Harlequin, you’ve had several single titled books published. Would you tell our readers about them and how they differ from THE SECRET OF CYPRIERE BAYOU?

Jana: Prior to writing for Harlequin, I wrote five single title contemporary humorous mystery/romance novels. The combination of mystery and romance is the same and all my prior works are set in Louisiana, but the big difference is the humor. While the plots are serious, the humor is a key component to all my previous work. All of my previous books are available in ebook format.(Check them out @ http://janadeleon.net/ )

Suz: What future books do you have on your agenda?

Jana: In July 2011, BAYOU BODYGUARD releases. This book is a related book to THE SECRET OF CYPRIERE BAYOU and finished up the overarching mystery surrounding the house and its history. I have another book under contract with Harlequin scheduled for a release in early 2012. So far, all of my books with Harlequin have that hint of spooky.

So dear readers, Jana wants to know, Do you believe in them and if so, do you think you've ever seen one? One lucky commentor will receive an autographed copy of THE SECRET OF CYPIERE BAYOU.

I don't know if I believe in them, but I don't NOT believe. I have never seen any but I have heard other people say they have. I think that it's just a very active imagination in people but ??? There is always the posibility of it.

Hi Jana and welcome to the Lair! What fun to have an Intrigue author here - one of my favourite Harlequin lines!

Also v exciting to have your first Intrigue coming out - that's what I'm working towards at the moment. What made you decide to switch to category from what you were writing before?

Ooh how exciting - Gothic lite sounds perfect!

Yes, I believe in them and yes I've experienced them, although never actually seen one (at least I don't think so). Being a Brit, it's almost impossible not to *g*. There are certainly things which cannot be explained.

LOL June! I totally get that. And in many cases, I think you're absolutely right - the mind is a very powerful tool. But then there's those really credible, non-dramatic, people who say they've seen things and you have to wonder.

Anna - I've always wanted to write for two publishers. It's a smart business decision for a writer, really, especially given how hard a market it is. So I was working on my proposal for Intrigue before things went south at Dorchester, but I'm glad I did it early and had something to write when my single title world came crashing down.

I've read the Intrigue line for over a decade and couldn't imagine writing anything else. I love the books. I love an external plot driving internal conflict. And Intrigue gave me an opportunity to write a lite gothic, something that I don't know I have the ability to do at ST length.

I am working on two ST proposals, but there's only so many hours in the day. One day, I'll get back to them. But in the meantime, I'm working with a great publisher and couldn't be happier. :)

Good morning, Jana & Suz! I love a good ghost story, mostly because I don't believe & have never seen one. Therefore, it's a safe way for me to get my willies out in a nice, safe environment.

Mind, I don't DISbelieve. Just because I've never seen a ghost doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm pretty self-centered but even I don't believe my range of experience is the entire range of experience available. So the idea of ghosts--heck, of an entire invisible plane of existence just beyond my reach--is pretty cool. So sign me up as a fan & a wannabe-believer. :-)

I love a good ghost story, mostly because I don't believe & have never seen one. Therefore, it's a safe way for me to get my willies out in a nice, safe environment.

Isn't it great how we can suspend our beliefs when we read books? Spooky books are one place that I do that, but I'm careful not to read them late at night while hubby is sleeping or too many in a row. Paranoia is NOT a good look on me! hehehe

Suz asked: How do you handle pulling the romance into such a tight, fast-moving plot?

I write really lean and make sure that when the reader is in a character's head, they get the character's thoughts on the other person as well as the situation. Then there's dialogue and action. A hesitant movement. The drawing away of an arm when one touches another. The light flush on a neck. It's all indicators of sexual tension and is easily worked into even an action scene.

Welcome Jana :0)Congrats on the Books they sound wonderful!!!!!Now as for the Question of the day:Do you believe in them and if so, do you think you've ever seen one?

Sure why not? there's no telling if I've seen them or not...I mean what do they look like??? Hmmmmm, bet no one thought to wondering that question...LOLToo many CRAZY things have happen NOT to believe in them and who knows maybe that unknown person was them...

Jana, in this case, I used to know the ghost, too. When he was still alive, anyway. I certainly haven't seen him after his death, unlike my cousin, who wasn't even when the man in question -and his cat- was still alive.

*Sigh* Meant to say "wasn't even born". Anyway. Evidently he haunts a place. Here's the story:My grandmother's brother used to live nearby, he visited us at least twice a day with his cat -who followed him everywhere- and in order to come here he had to walk past our cousins' summer cottage. He also hated dogs, for some reason. Eventually he died and his cat had to be put down. Now, some years later my cousins who own the cottage told that their son had this imaginary friend, an old man who hates dogs, who has a cat and who passes the cottage with his cat couple of times a day in order to visit my home. They claimed, they hadn't told anything to their son about the old man who used to live near by.

Your new Intrigue sounds great, Jana. Can't wait to get my hands on it. As for ghosts and goblins, I think Shakespeare had the right of it: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in our philosophies. ;-)

Suz, thanks for inviting Jana here today. Jana, what an incredibly fascinating interview and congratulations on the RT Top Pick! How fantastic is that? The book sounds great. I'm a great fan of a good gothic - grew up on Victoria Holt and have multi volumes of ghost stories on my bookshelves, like a little shiver before I turn the light out at night.

I've never experienced a ghost or spirit either, but have a nurse friend who won't walk down a certain corridor of her hospital as she had been accosted by more than one spirit there! So I believe there are people more sensitive to the spirits than others.

Love the sound of this intrigue and the cover is awesome. A real standout! Cute photo with the dog.

As for ghosts - I would love to see one, but so far it ain't happening. I've gone to haunted hotels, haunted restaurants, haunted bars - nothing. However, I know lots and lots of people who have had an experience with a spirit. My editor says that my accounting profession likely scares them away. Heck, this time of year I scare just about everyone, earthly and non - away. The power of the IRS (grin).

LOL Donna! I've stayed in haunted hotels too and never saw a thing. And get this...I'm an accountant! At least, I was until a couple of years ago, but I still do taxes for friends/family. That's too funny!

My oldest daughter (13) and I are convinced there is a spirit or presence in the main entrance way of our 100 year old villa. We quiet often 'feel' like there is someone down the hallway and often have that 'out-of-the-corner-of-your-eye' sighting!!!Sounds like this book is right up my alley...good luck with it ♥

Welcome to the Lair, Jana! Congratulations on the book and on making the move from humor to suspense. Wow, I've already got chills from reading your excerpt so I've got to read the rest of this book! I really like your title and the cover, too. Very unique for Intrigue.

I believe in all sorts of strange phenomena since I've seen some bizarre, unexplainable things in my life. :-)

My oldest daughter (13) and I are convinced there is a spirit or presence in the main entrance way of our 100 year old villa. We quiet often 'feel' like there is someone down the hallway and often have that 'out-of-the-corner-of-your-eye' sighting!!!

Welcome, Jana !! You write about one of my favorite parts of the country! I went to grad school in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and spent quite a bit of time in New Orleans and in a number of little bayou villages with friends. Spent many a night eating gumbo and dancing to zydeco under the cypress trees. Gotta read this book!

Everyone here knows the story of my youngest brother's imaginary friend when we lived in England as children. His imaginary friend was actually the ghost who haunted the house where we lived. The brother of our landlord, he died in the house!

My other brother and his wife are actually part-time paranormal researchers. He was a complete skeptic until an interesting experience in the 100 year old farmhouse where they live changed his mind.

I've had those "out of the corner of my eye moments," but most of the ghosts who visit me are animals I have owned. I've felt the presence of my wonderful Great Dane, Glory and I have felt a brush of fur and smelled the scent of my Great Pyrenees, Sherlock. The first time it startled me. Now it just brings me a great sense of peace.

Hi Jana - Congratulations on your book - I am excited to read it ... especially because I HAVE seen a ghost. My cottage in England was haunted - my cat saw him first. He died in 1868 suddenly - and he frightened me half to death!

Oh, to the question....do I believe in the spooky? Yes, I do. And yes, I've seen them on many occasions. Too late to say much more, but we've been working on a 160-year-old house for 10 years, and they're hard to ignore after a while.

I adored your Mudbug series, Jana, and I know I'll love your new suspense, too! You are awesome, and this is a fab interview!

Yep, I believe in ghosts and have seen them. I had bunches in my TX house, but only one has shown up here at the beach. She's older and turns on the makeup mirror when she wants my attention. Ghosts would be even cooler if they did housework. :)

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September Releases

Still Available

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Donna MacMeans, Trish Milburn, and Nancy Northcott will all be in Atlanta for the Moonlight and Magnolias conference in Decatur, Georgia September 30 through October 2nd. If you're in the area, stop by for the booksigning. We'd love to see you.

Redeeming the Rogue by Donna MacMeans received a 4.5 star TOP PICK! review from Romantic Times Magazine.

Living in Color by Trish Milburn is now available on Kindle, Smashwords and at barnesandnoble.com for the Nook.